Richard Kempenfelt was the son of Colonel Kempenfelt, a native of Sweden, who obtained from Queen Ann a Colonel's commission in the British army. He is said to have been honoured by the friendship of Addison, and to have been the person whose character is so admirably drawn in the Spectator, under the name of Captain Sentry. He died in the reign of George the First, when he was Lieutenant-Governor of the island of Jersey. His son, who is the subject of this narrative, was born at Westminster, in October 1718. He entered the Navy as a Midshipman at ten years old, and got his commission as Lieutenant on the 14th of January 1741. In this rank he continued many years, during which the circumstances of his life are too uninteresting to claim our attention.

In 1756, he was made a Master and Commander; and on the 17th of January 1757, he was appointed to the Elizabeth, of 64 guns, as Captain to Commodore Stevens, who hoisted his broad pendant on board of that ship, on his getting the command of a small squadron destined to the East Indies. This squadron proceeded to its destination soon afterwards, and in the month of April 1758, Kempenfelt signalized himself in a very eminent degree, in the engagement which took place between the English squadron and that of the French under Count D'Achê, and he is mentioned in the Commodore's official dispatch on the occasion, in terms of the highest commendation.